With all the doom and gloom of recent months it is important to remember that it was not always like this. Rewind to New Year's Day and we were flying, 6 unbeaten and chasing a European spot. So where did it all go wrong?
There are a number of small margins that, were they to be altered, could have changed our fortunes significantly. Bearing in mind that we seem to be very streaky, changing a draw to a win, or a win to a draw somewhere along the line could have been pivotal in making 2016 less of a nightmare year.
Bolasie's injury away to Stoke?
Zaha's late miss at 0-0 at home to Swansea?
Zaha hitting the post in the first minute away to Villa?
Hitting the post twice at 1-1 late on at home to Spurs?
Cabaye hitting the post in the last minute at 2-1 down at home to Watford?
Clear penalty not given at 3-2 down away to West Brom?
Borini's hit and hope in the last minute away to Sunderland?
There are obviously deep rooted problems which are impacting why we are losing games, but confidence/mentality is clearly one of them. I wonder which 'small margin' would have had the biggest impact on possibly balancing the negativity and downward momentum and might have stopped the rot in 2016.
For me, I think losing away to Villa was crucial. It was sandwiched between tough games to Man City, Spurs and Chelsea and a win would kept things ticking over. As it happened, we ended up on a run of 5 games without a goal, 14 without a win and the old "no win in 2016" stat started to snowball. Getting a par for the course away win might well have stopped the momentum before it gathered and set us up for a better 2016. Had Zaha scored in the first minute, I think we would have gone on to win that game quite comfortably. As we know, he struck the post, we looked impotent from that moment on, Villa grew in confidence and Hennessey threw the ball into his own net. And so it began...
What do you think was the most important 'turning point' that led to our disastrous 2016? I'm sure there are others that I have forgotten.
There are a number of small margins that, were they to be altered, could have changed our fortunes significantly. Bearing in mind that we seem to be very streaky, changing a draw to a win, or a win to a draw somewhere along the line could have been pivotal in making 2016 less of a nightmare year.
Bolasie's injury away to Stoke?
Zaha's late miss at 0-0 at home to Swansea?
Zaha hitting the post in the first minute away to Villa?
Hitting the post twice at 1-1 late on at home to Spurs?
Cabaye hitting the post in the last minute at 2-1 down at home to Watford?
Clear penalty not given at 3-2 down away to West Brom?
Borini's hit and hope in the last minute away to Sunderland?
There are obviously deep rooted problems which are impacting why we are losing games, but confidence/mentality is clearly one of them. I wonder which 'small margin' would have had the biggest impact on possibly balancing the negativity and downward momentum and might have stopped the rot in 2016.
For me, I think losing away to Villa was crucial. It was sandwiched between tough games to Man City, Spurs and Chelsea and a win would kept things ticking over. As it happened, we ended up on a run of 5 games without a goal, 14 without a win and the old "no win in 2016" stat started to snowball. Getting a par for the course away win might well have stopped the momentum before it gathered and set us up for a better 2016. Had Zaha scored in the first minute, I think we would have gone on to win that game quite comfortably. As we know, he struck the post, we looked impotent from that moment on, Villa grew in confidence and Hennessey threw the ball into his own net. And so it began...
What do you think was the most important 'turning point' that led to our disastrous 2016? I'm sure there are others that I have forgotten.
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